Label imprinting and applying machine and method

ABSTRACT

A label imprinting and applying machine and method for sequentially imprinting die-cut pressure-sensitive labels carried on a backing tape drawn from a roll thereof and for synchronously applying the so imprinted labels to articles or packages of merchandise to be labeled thereby, such machine including a tapecarried label supply, a tape bed, a printer disposed above the plane of the tape bed, including a vertically reciprocable plunger and a type-bearing printer head carried thereby and an impression pad therebeneath in the plane of the tape bed, and a type inker disposed above the tape bed, an angularly adjustable label peeler immediately adjacent the impression pad of the printer, around which peeler the tape extends, a tape take-up rearwardly of the label peeler for intermittently transporting the labels through the printer and past the peeler, a pneumatic label applicator having a suction head disposed in operative juxtaposition to the peeled label, for vacuum-engaging the payedout label and applying it to an article or package of merchandise, a label sensor disposed above the tape bed in operative juxtaposition to the labels thereon for starting and stopping the tape take-up, and mechanical, electrical, magnetic and pneumatic means for cycling the label applicator in timed relation to the label payed-out from the peeler and electromechanical means for cycling the printer and the inker in timed relation to the label transport cycle, and means for adjusting the location of the label sensor longitudinally of the tape bed and means for adjusting the label peeler and the label applicator in a direction longitudinally of the tape bed, whereby the machine can be adjusted for label lengths ranging from a length substantially less than either of the two adjustments to a length more than twice the length of either of the two adjustments.

United States Patent Burton 1 [151 3,655,492 [.4 1 Apr. 11, 1972 [54] LABEL IMPRINTING AND APPLYING MACHINE ANDMETHOD [72] Inventor: Robert Burton, Philadelphia, Pa.

[73] Assignee:

Calif.

22 Filed: Jan. 9, 1970 21 Appl.No.: 1,719

[52] US. Cl ..l56/54l, 156/361, 156/384,

[51] Int. Cl ..B65c 9/18, B32b 3l'/20 [58] Field of Search ..l56/35l, 285, 361, 363, 364,

Primary Examiner--Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-James M. Hanley Attorney-Leonard L. Kalish {57] ABSTRACT A label imprinting and applying machine and method for Avery Products Corporation, San Marino,

sequentially imprinting die-cut pressure-sensitive labels carried on a backing tape drawn from a roll thereof and for synchronously applying the so imprinted labels to articles or packages of merchandise to be labeled thereby, such machine including a tape-carried label supply, a tape bed, a printer disposed above the plane of the tape bed, including a vertically reciprocable plunger and a type-bearing printer head carried thereby and an impression pad therebeneath in the plane of the tape bed, and a type inker disposed above the tape bed, an angularly adjustable label peeler immediately adjacent the impression pad of the printer, around which peeler the tape extends, a tape take-up rearwardly of the label peeler for intermittently transporting the labels through the printer and past the peeler,va pneumatic label applicator having a suction head disposed in operative juxtaposition to the peeled label, for vacuum-engaging the payed-out label and applying it to an article or package of merchandise, a label sensor disposed above the tape bed in operative juxtaposition to the labels thereon for starting and stopping the tape take-up, and mechanical, electrical, magnetic and pneumatic means for cycling the label applicator in timed relation to the label payed-out from the peeler and electromechanical means for cycling the printer and the inker in timed relation to the label transport cycle, and means for adjusting the location of the label sensor longitudinally of the tape bed and means for adjusting the label peeler and the label applicator in a direction longitudinally of the tape bed, whereby the machine can be adjusted for label lengths ranging from a length substantially less than either of the two adjustments to a length more than twice the length of either of the two adjustments.

10 Claims, 35 Drawing Figures PATENTED PRHISIZ I 3.655.492 saw mar 16 INVENTOR ROBERT BURTON SHEET OZUF 16 IINVENTOR ROBERT BURTON ATTORNEY PATENTEBAPR 11 IBTZ SHEET DUUF 16 V INVENTOR ROBERT mm'rou PATENTED R H I972 3. 655,492

sum 05 or 16 INVENTOR ROBERT BURTON f JW ATTORNEY PATENTEDAPRHIQYE 3,655,492

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' sum mar 16 SOLENOID VALVE MACHINE CLUTCH TRIPPING SOLENOID PEELER MOTOR saoumi TO BASE INVZNTOR ROBERT BURTON Amm PATENTEDAPRU I912 SHEET 1 5 OF 1 6 INVENTOR ROBERT BURTON ATTORNEY PATENTEDAPR 1 1 m2 SHEET lBUF 16 FORWARD POSITION 0F (BPS-55,492

REAR POSITIQN 0F INVENIOR ROBERT BURTON ATTORNEY THE FIELD, SUMMARY AND OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a machine for and method of imprinting upon die-cut pressure-sensitive labels carried on a backing tape (supplied from a roll thereof) any desired information or data, such as the price, size or contents of the merchandise package to be labeled, and intermittently feeding the so. imprinted labels to a label applicator arranged to receive and hold the label and to apply it to the merchandise package or merchandise unit; the individual merchandise packages or units being either carried beneath the label applicator upon any suitable conveyer belt, or being manually placed beneath the label applicator, upon a suitable table attached to the column supporting the machine.

The present invention further relates to a machine and amethod whereby a backing strip or tape carrying the die-cut pressure-sensitive labels spaced from each other a slight uniform distance, is fed from a supply roll to a tape bed, past a label sensor which is engaged by the leading edge of each label (in succession) while the tape is in motion and is thereby moved a short distance, such short motion of the sensor having the effect of stopping the tape take-up and hence stopping the motion of the tape, a printer above the plane of the tape bed and an inker therefor also above the tape bed, a label peeler just beyond the pay-out end of the tape bed, the peeler serving as a tape guide for reversing the path of travel of the tape, and an electromagnetically activated and de-activated motor-driven tape tape-up operated by the label sensor for intermittently starting and stopping the travel of the tape across the tape-bed at label length intervals, a pneumatically actuated label applicator having a suction head for engaging and holding a label as it is peeled from the tape, and means for intermittently operating the printer, the inker and the label applicator in timed relation to each other and in timed relation to the starting and the stopping of the motion of the tape.

The present invention further relates to means whereby labels of varying length may be accommodated and synchronized with the printer and with the label applicator, thereby providing for a wide range of label sizes which can be printed and applied by the machine.

The present invention further relates to means for varying the angle at which a label is disposed to the plane of the tape bed when the label is peeled and extended from the label peeler. v

The object of the present invention is a reliable and relatively inexpensive intermittently operable label imprinting and applying machine of relatively simple construction, for imprinting and applying die-cut pressure-sensitive labels supplied on a roll of backing tape from which the imprinted labels are peeled after they have been imprinted, which machine goes through one complete cycle of imprinting and applying a label to merchandise to be labeled thereby, each time the machine -is started or tripped either mechanically or electrically, and

which machine will, at the beginning of each independent cycle thereof, deliver and apply a label which had been printed at the end of the previous cycle thereof and will move the next label into position for printing, and apply ink to the type of the printer during such label-applying portion of the cycle and will thereafter cause the printer to go through its printing stroke.

The further object of the present invention is a machine of a character stated, but which will accommodate a wide range of label sizes and which will permit the application of the imprinted labels to articles or packages of merchandise of varying sizes, shapes and consistencies, as, for instance, soft boxes or containers or hard boxes containing the merchandise, or soft goods wrapped in cellophane or other limp sheet material, without damage to the boxes or merchandise or the wrapping.

The further object of the present invention is to insure the delivery of the imprinted label to the applicator in such a way that the applicator will surely engage the label (and not lose it) before the label is applied to the merchandise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS The following are brief descriptions of the accompanying drawings representing an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 represents a front elevational view of the machine.

FIG. 2 represents a right side elevational view of the machine.

FIG. 3 represents top plan view of the machine but with the tape supply roll and its support omitted.

FIG. 4 represents a left side elevational view of the machine, but with the electric juncture box omitted.

FIG. 5 represents a fragmentary rear elevational view of the machine, showing the tape transport and its electromagnetic driving clutch and its electromagnetic brake and also showing the tape take-up and the drive therefor.

FIG. 6 represents a front elevational view of the printer plunger and printer head and the cap-like cam-enclosing housing member in which the plunger is reciprocably mounted.

FIG. 7 represents a vertical cross-sectional view, on line 7 7 of FIG. 6, of the main shaft bracket and of the main shaft and cams thereon and of the printer plunger and the cam-enclosing cap member in which the plunger is reciprocably mounted.

FIG. 8 represents a cross-sectional view on line 8-8 of FIG.

FIG. 9 represents a cross-sectional view on line 99 of FIG. 7'

FIG. 10 represents a cross-sectional view through the cam groove of the inker-actuating box cam 10, and showing the upper end of the inker-actuating lever and the cam follower roller carried thereby.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the single-revolution clutch on the main shaft; as viewed on line 11-1l of FIG. 7.

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the switch-operating cams l1 and 12 fixedly mounted on the main shaft; as viewed on line 1212 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 13 represents a fragmentary top plan view of the tape bed 49 mounted on top of the main base-plate l of the machine and showing the sensor platform 98 above and extending across the tape bed; the tape bed being partly broken away to expose the heater recess 47 in the base-plate I and the heater 48 mounted therein.

FIG. 13A represents an enlarged vertical section on line l3A-13A of FIG. 13, and also showing the lower portion of the frame of the label sensor.

FIG. 14 represents a right side elevational view of the label sensor.

FIG. 15 represents a front elevational view of the label sensor.

FIG. 16 represents a left side elevational view of the label sensor, with the top portion of its left frame member partly broken away.

FIG. 17 represents a vertical section on line l717 of FIG. 15.

FIG. 18 represents a fragmentary section on line 18-18 of FIG. 15.

FIG. 19 represents a full-size top plan view of the inker slide.

FIG. 20 represents an elevational view of same.

FIG. 21 represents a section on line 2l-21 of FIG. 19.

FIG. 22 represents a full-size front elevational view of the label peeler.

FIG. 23 represents a section on line 23-23 of-FIG. 22 on a scale four times that of FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 represents a section on line 2424 of FIG. 23 on the same scale as FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 represents a top plan view of the applicator bridge. FIG. 26 represents a front elevational view of same. FIG. 27 represents a side elevational view of the same.

FIG. 28 represents a front elevational view of the vacuum box and its bottom metal plate and the sponge pad and the bottom Mylar facing thereon, partly in section.

FIG. 29 represents a side elevational view of same, partly in section.

FIG. 30 represents a plan view of the bottom of the Mylar facing of the applicator pad and the projecting marginal edge portions of the metal plate at the bottom of the vacuum box.

FIG. 31 represents a vertical section through the tape transport shaft and roller and the electromagnetic clutch and brake thereof, taken generally on line 3131 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 32 represents the electrical circuit or wiring diagram of the machine.

FIG. 33 is a cam timing chart of the machine.

FIG. 34 is a label marking and sensing diagram.

FIG. 24 represents a section on line 2424 of FIG. 23 on the same scale as FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 represents a top plan view of the applicator bridge.

FIG. 26 represents a front elevational view of same.

FIG. 27 represents a side elevational view of the same.

FIG. 28 represents a front elevational view of the vacuum box and its bottom metal plate and the sponge pad and the bottom Mylar facing thereon, partly in section.

FIG. 29 represents a side elevational view of same, partly in section.

FIG. 30 represents a plan view of the bottom of the Mylar facing of the applicator pad and the projecting marginal edge portions of the metal plate at the bottom of the vacuum box.

FIG. 31 represents a vertical section through the tape transport shaft and roller and the electromagnetic clutch and brake thereof, taken generally on line 3131 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 32 represents the electrical circuit or wiring diagram of the machine.

FIG. 33 is a cam timing chart of the machine.

FIG. 34 is a label marking and sensing diagram.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The following is a description of the embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing.

The machine has a horizontal bottom plate or base member designated generally by the numeral 1, which underlies all the below-mentioned frame members and supporting brackets. A main frame member 2 is superimposed on the bottom plate 1 and is secured thereto by means of headed bolts extending upwardly through suitable holes therein and threaded into corresponding tapped holes in the main frame member 2. The main frame member 2 includes a lateral extension 3 having a vertical coupling flange 4 thereon, to which the corresponding or complementary coupling flange 5 of the column bracket 6 is secured by means of bolts 7.

A main shaft bracket 8 is mounted on top of and bolted to the foreward portion of the main frame member 2, and has a vertically disposed journal stand or flange 8a at its rear or right-hand end as viewed in FIG. 2 and has a vertically disposed printer flange or face plate 15 at its front end. The cam-shaft 9 is joumaled in the flange 8a and in the printer face plate 15, and has fixedly keyed or pinned thereto the inker-actuating barrel cam 10 and has adjustably secured thereto two switch-actuating cams 11 and 12 and has fixedly secured thereto the printer-actuating box type face cam 13 having a cam groove 14 in the front face thereof (see FIG.

To the front printer face plate 15 of the bracket 8, a cap-like plunger-supporting member 16 is detachably secured, generally enclosing the printer cam 13 and having a vertical plunger guide channel 17 (FIG. 3) formed in the front face thereof which is flanked by the guide rail 18 integral with the cap 16 and the non-integral gib-like guide rail 19 adjustably secured by headed screws 21. The guide rails 18 & 19 have facing inwardly divergent guide surfaces, between which guide surfaces a correspondingly shaped vertically reciprocable printer plunger 20 is slidably mounted (FIGS A cylindrical eccentric-mounting hole 22 is extended horizontally through the printerplunger 20, near the upper end thereof. A cylindrical eccentric-carrying member 23 is joumaled in the hole 22, with the integral retainer flange 24 thereof bearing against the inner flat vertical surface of the plunger 20. A stud-receiving hole 25 extends through the eccentric-carrying member 23, with its axis parallel to but spaced slightly (perhaps three thirty-secondth inch, more or less) from the axis of the member 23. Into such eccentric hole 25, the stud 26 of the cam follower roller 27 is mounted, with the outer threaded end of said stud extending beyond the outer face of said eccentric-carrying member 23. A keying pin or dowel pin 28 extends outwardly from the eccentric-carrying member 23 (FIG. 6). The cam-adjusting disc 29 having an eccentric hole 30 therethrough of the same eccentricity as that of the hole 25 and having a dowel-receiving hole 31 for receiving the dowel pin 28, is placed over the outer threaded end of the cam follower stud 26 and over the dowel pin 28, and a nut is threaded onto the outer threaded end of the stud 26, thereby firmly affixing the disc 29 to the eccentric-carrying member 23, with the rear face thereof bearing against the outer face of the plunger 20, thereby axially confining the eccentric-carrying member 23 within the printer plunger 20 (FIGS. 6 and 7).

An arcuate slot 32 is provided through the disc 29, centered about its center, and a headed screw 33 extends through the slot 32 and is threaded into a corresponding tapped hole in the plunger 20, whereby the disc 29 and the eccentric-carrying member 23 (to which the disc is affixed) can be secured in any desired angularly adjusted position thereof (within the range of adjustability) in relation to the plunger 20. A handle 34 is affixed to the disc 29, whereby the disc may be more conveniently rotated for the purposes of adjusting the cam follower 27 in relation to the plunger 20 and thereby adjusting the printing impression of the type carried by the printer head 134 secured to the printer-plunger 20.

The cam groove 14 of the printer cam 13 has a relatively long printing dwell 35 and a relatively short inking dwell 36, with the centers of said two dwells being 180 apart, and with the two intervening generally circular portions 37 and 38 of the cam groove 14 serving to maintain the printer plunger 20 in its raised position between the printing stroke and the inking stroke thereof.

To the lower end of the printer plunger 20, the printer head or type chase holder 134 is secured. Any suitable type chase is removably mounted to the printer head 134 and detachably locked thereto by any suitable means; the chase, in turn, carrying interchangeable type pieces with the type faces thereof facing downwardly.

A gear-reduced electric motor 39 is mounted on the rearward portion of the main frame member 2, with its output shaft 40 in axial alignment with the main shaft 9 and connected thereto through a single-revolution type of clutch designated generally by the numeral 41, which clutch is activated, for each revolution, by the momentary energization of the solenoid 42 (as described hereinafter) or manually by means of the pull rod having a knob 46 at its front end and having its rear end connected to the pivoted clutch trip lever 45 through the link 44.

The bottom plate 1 is provided with an elongated opening 47 therethrough, in which an electrical heating element 48 is mounted directly beneath and secured to the tape bed 49, for heating the labels whenever and to whatever extent may be necessary to compensate for a drop in temperature or to compensate for the condition of the adhesive on the labels, so as to condition the labels for proper peeling and proper adhesion to the merchandise or to the merchandise packages (FIG. 13).

The relatively thin tape bed 49 is secured to the top of the bottom plate 1, directly above the opening 47. The tape bed 49 extends generally from the rear edge of the bottom plate 1, forwardly to the impression pad 50 which is secured to the frontrnost portion of the bottom plate 1 and is formed of neoprene or the like, and is beneath the printer head 134 and type chase 135.

. IOIOSI mm A bracket 51 is secured to the left rear end portion 52 of the bottom plate 1, for supporting the tape transport motor 53, the electromagnetic clutch 54 and the tape transport roller 55 and the tape rewind arm 56, and also for supporting the label reel arm 57 on which the flanged reel 58 (for carrying the roll 63 of label-bearing tape 64) as well as the idle roller 59 are operatively mounted. A juxtaposed bracket 60 is similarly mounted to the right rear end portion of the bottom plate 1, for supporting the electromagnetic brake 61 and for joumaling the corresponding end of the tape transport shaft 62.

A roll 63 of label-carrying tape or backing tape 64 of glacine paper or like release type webbing is removably mounted on the reel 58. The reel 58 is pivoted on the spindle 67, which in turn is carried by the arm 57 secured to the aforementioned bracket 51.

The gear-reduced motor 53 is mounted on the bracket 51, with its output shaft 68 co-axial with the tape transport roller 55. The outer sleeve-like portion of the roller 55 is made of a suitably firm rubber, neoprene or the like.

A shaft coupler 69, having a V-groove 70 therein for driving the belt 71, has one end thereof secured to the output shaft 68 of the motor 53 while the other end thereof is secured to the tape transport shaft 62. The shaft 62 is joumaled in the flanges 73 and 74 of the bracket 51 and extends through the electromagnetic clutch 54 and through the tape transport roller 55 and through the electromagnetic brake 61 and has its end (beyond the brake 61) journalled in the vertical flange 60a of the bracket 60.

A tape rewind arm 56 is secured to the bracket 51 and extends rearwardly therefrom, and supports a yoke 77, through the flanges 78 of which the tape rewind shaft 79 extends, and in which such shaft is journaled.

The rewind shaft 79 has a disc 80 affixed thereto, from which the two pins 81 extend in operative alignment with the tape transport roller 55 (FIG. 3).

A driven flange 82 is affixed to the other end of the rewind shaft 79 and a driving pulley 83 is revolvably mounted on the rewind shaft so as to idle thereon, and a felt disc 84 is operatively interposed between the driven flange 82 and the juxtaposed face of the driving pulley 83. A helical compression spring 85 or other resilient compression member is interposed between the hub of the pulley 83 and a nut or other fastener means 86 on the end of the shaft 79; such fastener means being detachably and adjustably secured to the outermost threaded end of the rewind shaft 79 so that by adjusting the fastener 86 the amount of pressure between the felt disc 84 and the driven flange 82 and the pulley 83 may be varied so as to vary the slippage and the coupling force therebetween, whereby the amount of rewind torque maintained on the rewind shaft 79 through the belt 71 and the continuously revolving shaft coupler 69 may be adjusted to any desired optimum value.

The label-carrying tape 64, having a succession of uniformsize pressure-sensitive labels 65 thereon, with uniform spacings therebetween, passes downwardly from'the roll 63 past the guide rod 87, on which are mounted two tape guides 88 flanking the tape 64 and each adjustably secured along the rod 87 by means of set screws 89. The tape guides 88 are so adjusted on the rod 87 as to neatly confine the tape 64 to a position in operative alignment with the label printer and the label applicator.

'The label-carrying tape 64 then passes around the idle roller 59 which is pivotally mounted to the reel arm 57; the guide roll 59 being so disposed that the upper surface of the tape bed 49 is in a plane tangent to the bottom of the roller 59.

The label-carrying tape 64 passes from beneath the idle roller 59 to the top of the tape bed 49 and extends therealong and rests thereon, from the rearmost end of the tape bed to the front end thereof, from whence the label-carrying tape 64 extends over the impression pad 50 of the printer and from there onto and around the label peeler designated generally by the numeral 90, where it passes beneath the hold-down roller 91 of the label peeler blade 93, and then around the front edge 92 of the label peeler blade 93, and then beneath the idle roller man:

94 and rearwardly along the retreat path 95, after the labels have been peeled from the backing tape 64, one at a time during the intermittent label-feeding motions of the tape (FIGS. 1,2, 3, 4, 22, 23 and 24).

After extending rearwardly along the retreat path 95, beneath the bottom plate 1 of the machine, the label-free tape 96 extends beneath and along and in frictional engagement with the rear half of the tape transport roller 55 and thence beneath and along the forward half of the pinch roller 97, and thence rearwardly to the rewind pins 81, around which the labelfree backing tape 96 is wound for subsequent disposal.

The label peeler 90 includes the peeler blade 93 having an integral clyindrical trunion-like end portion 168 at the left end thereof (by which the blade 93 and the entire label peeler 90 are supported) and having a similar but shorter cylindrical end portion 189 integral therewith at its right end, co-axial with the trunion-like end portion 168. The trunion-like left end 168 of the peeler blade 93 is revolvably mounted in the horizontal teral plane of the cylindrical blade ends 168 & 189, in which LII the axis of angular adjustment of the blade lies. The peeler edge 92 of the blade 93 has a slight radius (of the order of 0.010 inch, more or less).

A through-hole 191 is provided in the cylindrical end 189 of the label peeler 90, parallel with the axis thereof, and an axially aligned blind hole 192 is provided in the cylindrical supporting trunion 168 of the label peeler 90. A pivot rod 193, having the tube-like or sleeve-like hold-down roller 91 revolvably mounted thereon, is extended through the hole 191 and into the blind hole 192, and is locked in position by a setscrew 195. The spacing of the center of the holes 191 and 192 from the axis of the end members 168 & 189 is such that the V-shaped edges of the annular ribs 194 of the revolvably mounted sleeve-like hold-down roller 91 will be spaced from the upper surface 190 of the peeler blade 93 at a distance just slightly greater than the combined thickness of the backing tape and the label adhered thereto. Thus, the revolvable sleeve 91 constitutes a hold-down roller, which keeps the tape and the portion of the label adhered thereto parallel with the upper surface 190 of the peeler blade 93, notwithstanding that such upper surface 190 may be tilted upwardly slightly (by the aforementioned angular adjustment of the peeler blade), thereby insuring the correct peeling of the label from the tape in all adjusted positions of the peeler blade. The V-shaped annular ribs of the roller 91 prevent smearing of the ink on the labels.

The label sensor designated generally by the numeral 98 (FIGS. 2 and 13 to 18) is mounted on the sensor platform 99, which constitutes a bridge just slightly above the label-bearing backing tape 64 on the tape bed 49, and extends across the entire upper tape path. The outer end of the platform 99 rests on a guide rail 100 which is secured to the bottom plate 1 by suitable screws. Two outer dowel pins 101 and one inner dowel pin 102 extend downwardly from the outer end of the sensor platform 99, alongside the outer and inner vertical surfaces (respectively) of the guide rail 100, with a neat sliding fit therewith, and serve to guide the platform 99 at a right angle to the guide rail 100. An elongated slot 103 is provided in the outer end of the sensor platform 99, and a headed lock-screw 104 extends therethrough and is threaded into the guide rail 100 and serves to lock the platform 99 at any desired location along the guide rail 100, as may be required to adjust the label sensor for the different label lengths.

The inner end of the platform 99 is provided with a pair of screws 105 which serve asfeet for the inner end of the plat 

1. A label-applying machine for intermittently feeding die-cut labels on a backing tape and peeling one label at a time from said backing tape and applying the so peeled label to an article to be labeled, such machine including a cam-shaft, an electric motor for driving the cam-shaft, and a single-revolution clutch intermediate said electric motor and said cam-shaft and arranged operatively to connect said shaft to said motor through one revolution of the shaft each time such clutch is activated, a tape bed, means for supporting a roll of backing tape having spaced-apart pressure-sensitive labels thereon in operative alignment with the rear end of said tape bed, a label peeler in operative alignment with the front end of said tape bed, a tape rewinder, means for guiding the label-free backing tape from said label peeler to said tape rewinder, tape-transporting means intermediate said label peeler and said tape rewinder, for intermittently drawing the label-free backing tape from said label peeler and thereby intermittently drawing the label-bearing backing tape from the supply roll thereof across said tape bed and across said label peeler, a label sensor disposed in operative juxtaposition to the label-bearing portion of the backing tape on said tape bed and arranged to be engaged by the leading edge of each label, in succession, as the backing tape is intermittently moved by said tape transport means, and said label sensor being arranged to stop the tape transport means when so engaged and moved forward by the leading edge of each label, in succession, and said label sensor being arranged to start said label-transporting means when disengaged from the leading edge of a label, means carried by the said cam-shaft for disengaging said label sensor from the leading edge of the label at the beginning of each cycle of said cam-shaft, thereby to start into motion said tape transport means, a pneumatic label applicator in operative alignment with said label peeler and including pneumatic means for cycling said label applicator through its label-receiving and label-applying cycle, and vacuum means at the label applying end of said label applicator for receiving and vacuum-engaging the label as it is peeled from the backing tape by said label peeler, and means carried by said cam-shaft for controlling the application and venting of compressed air to and from said pneumatic aPplicator to cause it to move through its label-receiving and label-applying cycle.
 2. A label imprinting and applying machine for imprinting die-cut labels on a backing tape and peeling one label at a time from said backing tape and applying the so peeled label to an article, such machine including a cam-shaft, an electric motor for driving the cam-shaft, and a single-revolution clutch intermediate said electric motor and said cam-shaft and arranged operatively to connect said shaft to said motor through one revolution of the shaft each time such clutch is activated, a printer including a printer head bearing type, a guide for guiding said printer head through alternating to-and-fro inking strokes and printing strokes, means operatively interposed between the printer head and the cam-shaft for alternately moving the printer head through an inking cycle and through a printing cycle, an impression pad in operative alignment with said printer head, an inker reciprocably mounted in a travel path extending over the impression pad and into operative alignment with the printer head and with a suitable clearance between the inker and the impression pad when in superimposed position and said travel path extending to a retracted position in which the inker is fully retracted from its printer-aligned position, means intermediate the cam-shaft and said inker for moving the latter through its inking cycle in timed relation to the cycles of the printer head, a tape bed generally co-planar with the impression pad and extending rearwardly therefrom and beneath said reciprocably mounted inker with clearance therebetween for the free passage of the label-bearing backing tape between the inker and the tape bed, means for supporting a roll of backing tape having spaced-apart pressure-sensitive labels thereon in operative alignment with the rear end of said tape bed, a label peeler in front of the impression pad and in operative alignment therewith, a tape rewinder, means for guiding the label-free backing tape from said label peeler to said tape rewinder, tape-transporting means intermediate said label peeler and said tape rewinder for intermittently drawing the label-free backing tape from said label peeler and thereby intermittently drawing the label-bearing backing tape from the supply roll thereof across said tape bed and across said impression pad and across said label peeler, a label sensor disposed in operative juxtaposition to the label-bearing portion of the backing tape on said tape bed and arranged to be engaged by the leading edge of each label, in succession, as the backing tape is intermittently moved by said tape transport means, and said label sensor being arranged to stop the tape-transporting means when so engaged and moved forward by the leading edge of each label, in succession, and said label sensor being arranged to start said label-transporting means when disengaged from the leading edge of a label, means carried by the said cam-shaft for disengaging said label sensor from the leading edge of the label at the beginning of each cycle of said cam-shaft, thereby to start into motion said tape transport means, a pneumatic label applicator in operative alignment with said label peeler and including pneumatic means for cycling said label applicator through its label-receiving and label-applying cycle, and vacuum means at the label-applying end of said label applicator for receiving and vacuum-engaging the label as it is peeled from the backing tape by said label peeler, and means carried by said cam-shaft for controlling the application and venting of compressed air to and from said pneumatic applicator to cause it to move through its label-receiving and label-applying cycle.
 3. A label-applying machine for intermittently feeding a label at a time from a supply thereof to a pneumatic label applicator and thereby intermittently applying the labels to an article to be labeled, said machine including a cam-shaft, an electric motor for driving the cam-shaft and a single-revolution Clutch arranged operatively to connect the shaft to the motor through one revolution of the shaft each time the clutch is activated, a pneumatic cylinder having a piston therein and a piston rod extending therefrom, a label applicator head carried by the free end of the piston and including a vacuum chamber and a resilient vacuum pad on the label applicator head facing the article to be labeled and in operative communication with said vacuum chamber and having suction holes causing said pad to engage a label presented to it by such suction, means for intermittently admitting and venting compressed air into and from the cylinder to cause the piston therein to move the label applicator head through a label-applying stroke and through a head-retracting stroke, said means including a pneumatic valve operatively interposed between the cylinder and a source of compressed air and a cam on said cam-shaft for controlling said valve, label supply means and means for intermittently feeding a label at a time from said label supply means into operative juxtaposition to the vacuum pad of the label applicator head while the latter is in its retracted position.
 4. A label-applying machine according to claim 3, in which the air admitting and venting means includes a three-way solenoid valve and an on-off switch in its electric circuit, and in which the air-controlling cam is in operative juxtaposition to said on-off switch and activates the same.
 5. A label-applying machine according to claim 3, in which the label-feeding means includes a label feed cam on the cam-shaft arranged to cause the feeding of a label to the suction pad of the label applicator head when the latter is stationary in its retracted position.
 6. A label-applying machine according to claim 4, in which the label-feeding means includes a label feed cam on the cam-shaft arranged to cause the feeding of a label to the suction pad of the label applicator head when the latter is stationary in its retracted position.
 7. A label-applying machine according to claim 3, in which the label supply means is a roll of release-webbing having slightly spaced-apart pressure-sensitive labels thereon, and including a tape bed for supporting the label-bearing webbing, and including a label peeler in operative alignment with the front end of said tape bed, a webbing rewinder, means for guiding the label-free webbing from said label peeler to said webbing rewinder, webbing-transporting means intermediate said label peeler and said webbing rewinder, for intermittently drawing the label-free webbing from said label peeler and thereby intermittently drawing the label-bearing webbing from the supply roll thereof across said label peeler, a label sensor disposed in operative juxtaposition to the label-bearing portion of the webbing on said tape bed and arranged to be engaged by the leading edge of each label, in succession, as the webbing is intermittently moved by said webbing transport means, and said label sensor being arranged to stop the webbing transport means when so engaged and moved forward by the leading edge of each label, in succession, and said label sensor being arranged to start said webbing-transporting means when disengaged from the leading edge of a label, a cam carried by the said cam-shaft for disengaging said label sensor from the leading edge of the label at the beginning of each cycle of said cam-shaft, thereby to start into motion said webbing transport means.
 8. A label-applying machine according to claim 3, in which the label applicator head is pivoted in relation to the piston rod and is arranged to be tilted towards the label fed towards the vacuum pad thereof when the label applicator head is in its retracted position.
 9. A label-applying machine including a tape bed, means for supporting a roll of release-webbing having slightly spaced-apart pressure-sensitive labels thereon in operative alignment with the web-receiving end of the tape bed, a label peeler in operative alignment with the label-issuing end of tHe tape bed, said label peeler including a peeler blade having a generally planar upper surface and a peeler edge along the label-issuing side thereof, said blade being pivotally mounted about an axis generally in the plane of its said upper surface and at a right angle to the longitudinal travel path of the webbing, means for locking said blade in any desired position of angular adjustment about its said axis, said label peeler also including a hold-down roller revolvably mounted to said peeler blade about an axis parallel to the mounting axis of the blade intermediate the receiving edge and the issuing edge of said upper planar surface and so spaced from said upper planar surface of the blade that the periphery of said hold-down roller will be spaced from said surface a distance equal to the combined thickness of the webbing and the label plus a suitable slight working clearance.
 10. A label-applying machine according to claim 9, in which the label peeler is adjustably mounted in relation to the issuing end of the tape bed so as to be movable in a plane parallel to the plane of the tape bed for optionally changing its fore-and-aft spacing in relation to the issuing end of the tape bed. 